There exists a need for vehicles to have clean air filters at all times. This is due to the fact that in order for an engine to perform properly it requires a constant supply of clean air. During combustion the incoming air must be clean. If the incoming air is dirty, then the internal passages in the engine may become fouled and the internal components of the engine will wear out prematurely. Thus, air filters are a critical component of every engine.
In addition, some engines are used in very dusty environments. For example, engines used in heavy construction equipment are constantly exposed to dust at the worksite. The air filters of these engines become quickly fouled with dust particles, plant vegetation, insects, etc. Indeed, in some instances very dirty air filters have been known to spontaneously combust as the air is drawn through the dirty air filter.
Conventional solutions to the problem of dirty air filters include replacing the air filter or cleaning the air filter. Replacing the air filter is not a cost efficient solution because some air filters cost hundreds of dollars. As for cleaning the air filters, the machines presently used for cleaning air filters are massive, non-transportable, expensive, and have large energy requirements. In addition, the air filters are removed from the vehicles and must be transported to the cleaning facility. The cleaning facility itself requires massive pieces of equipment to produce pressurized air, vacuums, etc. In addition, these cleaning facilities are very expensive to operate.
What is needed is an air filter cleaner that is inexpensive, easy to use, lightweight and energy efficient.